Amal Clooney: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name        = Amal Clooney
| name        = Amal Clooney
| image        = Amal Clooney 2022 (cropped).jpg
| caption      = Clooney in 2022
| birth_name  = Amal Alamuddin
| birth_name  = Amal Alamuddin
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1978|2|3|df=y}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1978|2|3|df=y}}
| birth_place  = [[Beirut]], [[Lebanon]]
| birth_place  = [[Beirut]], [[Lebanon]]
| nationality  = British, French, Lebanese
| nationality  = French, British, Lebanese
| occupation  = [[Barrister]], international human rights lawyer
| education    = [[New York University]] ([[Master of Laws|LLM]])
| education    = [[New York University]] ([[Master of Laws|LLM]])
| alma_mater  = [[St Hugh's College, Oxford]] (BA)<br>[[New York University School of Law]] (LLM)
| alma_mater  = [[St Hugh's College, Oxford]] (BA)<br>[[New York University School of Law]] (LLM)
| occupation  = [[Barrister]]
| known_for    = International human rights law, high-profile legal advocacy
| known_for    = International human rights law
| spouse      = {{marriage|[[George Clooney]]|2014}}
| spouse      = {{marriage|[[George Clooney]]|2014}}
| children    = 2
| children    = 2
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}}
}}


'''Amal Clooney''' ({{née}} '''Alamuddin'''; born 3 February 1978) is a French-British-Lebanese [[barrister]] specialising in [[international law]] and [[human rights]]. Born in [[Beirut]] during the [[Lebanese Civil War]], she was raised in England and went on to study at the [[University of Oxford]] and [[New York University School of Law]], building a career that has placed her at the centre of some of the most consequential legal cases of the early twenty-first century. She has represented clients including former [[Maldives|Maldivian]] president [[Mohamed Nasheed]], [[WikiLeaks]] founder [[Julian Assange]], former [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] prime minister [[Yulia Tymoshenko]], [[Yazidi]] human rights activist [[Nadia Murad]], Filipino-American journalist [[Maria Ressa]], Azerbaijani journalist [[Khadija Ismayilova]], and Egyptian-Canadian journalist [[Mohamed Fahmy]].<ref name="doughty">{{cite web |title=Amal Clooney – Barrister Profile |url=http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/profile/amal-clooney |publisher=Doughty Street Chambers |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In addition to her litigation practice, Clooney holds the position of Professor of Practice in International Law at the [[Blavatnik School of Government]], [[University of Oxford]], and co-founded the [[Clooney Foundation for Justice]] alongside her husband, American actor [[George Clooney]], in 2016. Her career has drawn widespread public attention both for the significance of her legal work and for her marriage to one of Hollywood's most recognisable figures, though she has consistently sought to direct focus toward the substantive issues at the heart of her cases.
'''Amal Clooney''' ({{née}} '''Alamuddin'''; born 3 February 1978) is a French-British-Lebanese international human rights lawyer and barrister who has built a distinguished career representing clients in some of the most consequential cases in international law. Born in [[Beirut]] during the [[Lebanese Civil War]], she was raised in England and educated at the [[University of Oxford]] and [[New York University School of Law]], going on to practise at [[Doughty Street Chambers]] in London and to advise international bodies including the [[United Nations]]. Among her most prominent clients have been former [[Maldives|Maldivian]] president [[Mohamed Nasheed]], [[WikiLeaks]] founder [[Julian Assange]], former [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] prime minister [[Yulia Tymoshenko]], [[Yazidi]] human rights activist [[Nadia Murad]], Filipino-American journalist [[Maria Ressa]], Azerbaijani journalist [[Khadija Ismayilova]], and Egyptian-Canadian journalist [[Mohamed Fahmy]].<ref name="doughty">{{cite web |title=Amal Clooney – Barrister Profile |url=http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/profile/amal-clooney |publisher=Doughty Street Chambers |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Since 2014, she has also been known publicly through her marriage to American actor [[George Clooney]], with whom she co-founded the [[Clooney Foundation for Justice]] in 2016. She holds an appointment as Professor of Practice in International Law at the [[Blavatnik School of Government]], [[University of Oxford]], and serves as a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, an institute she co-founded to explore the use of artificial intelligence in expanding access to justice.


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Amal Alamuddin was born on 3 February 1978 in [[Beirut]], [[Lebanon]].<ref name="ibtimes">{{cite news |title=George Clooney Girlfriend Revealed: Who Is Amal Alamuddin? 6 Fast Facts About Actor's New Love |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/george-clooney-girlfriend-revealed-who-amal-alamuddin-6-fast-facts-about-actors-new-love-photos |work=International Business Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She was born into a [[Druze]] family during the [[Lebanese Civil War]], a protracted conflict that devastated the country from 1975 to 1990. During the war, her family relocated to [[England]], where she was raised and educated.<ref name="abcnews">{{cite news |title=Things to Know About George Clooney's Lady Friend Amal Alamuddin |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/things-george-clooneys-lady-friend-amal-alamuddin/story?id=22960268 |work=ABC News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Amal Alamuddin was born on 3 February 1978 in [[Beirut]], [[Lebanon]].<ref name="ibt">{{cite news |title=George Clooney Girlfriend Revealed: Who Is Amal Alamuddin? 6 Fast Facts About Actor's New Love |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/george-clooney-girlfriend-revealed-who-amal-alamuddin-6-fast-facts-about-actors-new-love-photos |work=International Business Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She was born into a [[Druze]] family of Lebanese origin. Her family left Lebanon during the [[Lebanese Civil War]] when she was two years old, relocating to the United Kingdom, where she was raised.<ref name="abc">{{cite news |title=Things to Know About George Clooney's Lady Friend, Amal Alamuddin |url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/things-george-clooneys-lady-friend-amal-alamuddin/story?id=22960268 |work=ABC News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Growing up in England, Alamuddin attended [[Dr Challoner's High School]], a [[grammar school]] in [[Amersham]], [[Buckinghamshire]].<ref name="ibtimes" /> The school is a selective state school with a strong academic reputation. Her upbringing in the English educational system provided the foundation for what would become an accomplished academic career. Her family's experience of displacement from Lebanon during a period of intense sectarian conflict is frequently cited as a formative influence on her later career in international human rights law, though Clooney herself has generally maintained a reserved posture regarding the details of her personal history.
Growing up in England, Alamuddin attended [[Dr Challoner's High School]], a selective [[grammar school]] for girls in [[Amersham]], [[Buckinghamshire]].<ref name="ibt" /> Her upbringing in England, after a childhood marked by the upheaval of civil conflict in Lebanon, shaped what would become a lifelong engagement with issues of international justice and human rights. She holds French, British, and Lebanese nationality, reflecting the multinational character of her family background and upbringing.<ref name="abc" />


Clooney holds [[France|French]], [[United Kingdom|British]], and Lebanese citizenship, reflecting the transnational character of her family background and upbringing.<ref name="abcnews" /> Her multilingual abilities, including fluency in English, French, and Arabic, have been noted as assets in her international legal practice.<ref name="doughty" />
Her family maintained connections to Lebanon even after emigrating, and the experience of displacement during wartime has been noted as an influence on her later career in international humanitarian and human rights law. The Alamuddin family's trajectory — from Beirut during a period of intense sectarian conflict to relative stability in the English Home Counties — provided a formative context for the legal career that would follow.


== Education ==
== Education ==


Clooney studied at [[St Hugh's College, Oxford|St Hugh's College]], [[University of Oxford]], where she read [[jurisprudence]] and received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree.<ref name="oxford_gazette">{{cite web |title=University of Oxford Gazette 1997–98 |url=http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/1997-8/weekly/231097/coll.htm |publisher=University of Oxford |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Her time at Oxford exposed her to the British legal tradition and the study of law at one of the world's foremost universities.
Alamuddin studied at [[St Hugh's College, Oxford|St Hugh's College]], [[University of Oxford]], where she read [[Jurisprudence]] and earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree.<ref name="oxford_gazette">{{cite web |title=University of Oxford Gazette, 1997–98 |url=http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/1997-8/weekly/231097/coll.htm |publisher=University of Oxford |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Following her undergraduate studies at Oxford, she pursued postgraduate legal education at [[New York University School of Law]], where she obtained a [[Master of Laws]] (LLM) degree.<ref name="doughty" />


Following her undergraduate studies, Clooney pursued graduate legal education in the United States, enrolling at [[New York University School of Law]], where she earned a [[Master of Laws]] (LLM) degree.<ref name="ibtimes" /> NYU's law school is known for its strength in international law, and Clooney's graduate studies there provided additional specialisation in the areas of public international law and human rights that would come to define her professional career. During her time at NYU, she received the Jack J. Katz Memorial Award for excellence in entertainment law.<ref name="abcnews" />
Her legal education at two of the world's leading academic institutions provided a foundation in both the [[common law]] traditions of England and the American legal system, equipping her with comparative legal expertise that would prove relevant in her subsequent international practice. While at NYU, she received the Jack J. Katz Memorial Award for excellence in entertainment law.<ref name="abc" />


== Career ==
== Career ==
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=== Early Legal Career ===
=== Early Legal Career ===


Clooney began her legal career in the United States, working at the New York office of [[Sullivan & Cromwell]], one of the oldest and most prominent American law firms.<ref name="doughty" /> At Sullivan & Cromwell, she gained experience in corporate law and litigation, working on cases that included matters before the [[International Court of Justice]] and international criminal tribunals. Her early work also included a clerkship at the [[International Court of Justice]] in [[The Hague]].<ref name="abcnews" />
Amal Clooney began her legal career in the United States, where she worked at the New York office of [[Sullivan & Cromwell]], a prominent international law firm.<ref name="doughty" /> During this period, she was involved in a range of corporate and international law matters. She also served as a law clerk at the [[International Court of Justice]] in [[The Hague]], working under Judge [[Thomas Buergenthal]].<ref name="abc" />


She subsequently worked at the Office of the Prosecutor at the [[International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia]], and served as an adviser to [[Kofi Annan]], then the [[United Nations]] [[Special Envoy]] for [[Syria]], on issues relating to the use of force and the prospects for [[International Criminal Court]] referrals in the [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref name="doughty_pdf">{{cite web |title=Amal Clooney – Barrister Profile (PDF) |url=http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/profile-pdf/amal-clooney/185 |publisher=Doughty Street Chambers |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> A report she co-authored examining whether Syria could be referred to the ICC was published by Doughty Street Chambers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Will Syria Go to the ICC? |url=http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/documents/uploaded-documents/will_syria_go_to_the_ICC.pdf |publisher=Doughty Street Chambers |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Her early career also included work at the [[United Nations]], where she served as an adviser to [[Kofi Annan]], then the [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|UN Secretary-General]], on issues related to Syria and the use of force in international law.<ref>{{cite web |title=Will Syria Go to the ICC? |url=http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/documents/uploaded-documents/will_syria_go_to_the_ICC.pdf |publisher=Doughty Street Chambers |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> She was also appointed to the United Nations commission of inquiry examining the rules of war violations during the conflict in [[Gaza]].<ref name="doughty" />
 
Prior to joining Doughty Street Chambers, she worked at the Office of the Prosecutor at the [[Special Tribunal for Lebanon]] and at the [[International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia]].<ref name="doughty_pdf">{{cite web |title=Amal Clooney – Barrister Profile (PDF) |url=http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/profile-pdf/amal-clooney/185 |publisher=Doughty Street Chambers |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Doughty Street Chambers ===
=== Doughty Street Chambers ===


Clooney became a barrister at [[Doughty Street Chambers]] in London, one of the United Kingdom's leading sets of barristers' chambers, with a particular focus on human rights, international law, and public law.<ref name="doughty" /> Her practice at Doughty Street encompassed a wide range of international law matters, including cases before the [[International Criminal Court]], the [[International Court of Justice]], the [[European Court of Human Rights]], and various [[United Nations]] tribunals and commissions.
Clooney became a barrister at [[Doughty Street Chambers]] in London, one of the United Kingdom's leading sets of chambers specialising in human rights, public law, and international law.<ref name="doughty" /> Her practice at Doughty Street has focused on international law, criminal law, human rights, and extradition. She has appeared before the [[International Criminal Court]], the [[International Court of Justice]], and the [[European Court of Human Rights]], among other tribunals.<ref name="doughty" />


Her profile at Doughty Street listed her areas of expertise as including [[public international law]], international criminal law, human rights law, and [[extradition]] law.<ref name="doughty_pdf" /> She was also listed on the [[Attorney General for England and Wales|Attorney General's]] Panel of Counsel, which comprises barristers who are appointed to represent the UK government in legal proceedings, indicating recognition of her competence in public international law by the British government.<ref>{{cite web |title=Attorney General's Panel Counsel – Public International Law Panel |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285743/Public_International_Law_Panel_of_Counsel_-_Summary.pdf |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Attorney General's Panel Counsel Appointments, Membership Lists and Off-Panel Counsel |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/attorney-generals-panel-counsel-appointments-membership-lists-and-off-panel-counsel |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
She has been a member of the United Kingdom Attorney General's Panel of Counsel, appointed to advise the UK government on matters of public international law.<ref>{{cite web |title=Attorney General's Panel Counsel – Appointments, Membership Lists and Off-Panel Counsel |url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/attorney-generals-panel-counsel-appointments-membership-lists-and-off-panel-counsel |publisher=UK Government |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Public International Law Panel of Counsel – Summary |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285743/Public_International_Law_Panel_of_Counsel_-_Summary.pdf |publisher=UK Government |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Notable Cases and Clients ===
=== High-Profile Cases and Clients ===


Clooney's case portfolio has included several matters of international legal and political significance.
Clooney's legal career has been defined in substantial part by her representation of individuals and causes at the intersection of human rights, press freedom, and international justice.


==== Julian Assange ====
==== Mohamed Nasheed ====


Clooney served as part of the legal team representing [[Julian Assange]], the founder of [[WikiLeaks]], in his extradition proceedings.<ref name="doughty" /> The case raised complex questions about [[freedom of the press]], the scope of [[espionage]] statutes, and the rights of individuals facing extradition to the United States. Clooney's involvement in the Assange case brought her public attention as a defender of press freedom.
Clooney represented [[Mohamed Nasheed]], the former president of the [[Maldives]], who was convicted in 2015 under anti-terrorism laws in what was characterised by international observers as a politically motivated prosecution. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, had been charged after ordering the arrest of a judge during his tenure. Clooney's legal team worked to secure his release and brought attention to the erosion of democratic governance in the Maldives.<ref name="doughty" />


==== Mohamed Nasheed ====
==== Julian Assange ====


She represented [[Mohamed Nasheed]], the former president of the [[Maldives]], who was convicted in what was described by international observers as a politically motivated trial following his removal from power.<ref name="doughty" /> Clooney's advocacy on behalf of Nasheed brought renewed international attention to the state of democracy and human rights in the Maldives.
She served as part of the legal team representing [[Julian Assange]], the founder of [[WikiLeaks]], in proceedings related to his extradition from the United Kingdom. The case raised significant questions about press freedom, government secrecy, and the boundaries of journalistic activity in the digital age.<ref name="doughty" />


==== Yulia Tymoshenko ====
==== Yulia Tymoshenko ====


Clooney was involved in efforts on behalf of former [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] prime minister [[Yulia Tymoshenko]], who was imprisoned in a case that the [[European Court of Human Rights]] found to have violated her rights.<ref name="doughty" />
Clooney was involved in the legal representation of [[Yulia Tymoshenko]], the former prime minister of [[Ukraine]], who was imprisoned in 2011 on charges that were widely criticised by international bodies as politically motivated. Tymoshenko's case became a significant issue in Ukraine's relations with the European Union and broader discussions of rule of law in the former Soviet states.<ref name="doughty" />


==== Mohamed Fahmy ====
==== Mohamed Fahmy ====


Clooney represented Egyptian-Canadian journalist [[Mohamed Fahmy]], a former [[Al Jazeera]] bureau chief who was arrested and tried in [[Egypt]] on charges related to his journalistic work. Fahmy was among three Al Jazeera journalists detained in Egypt in a case that prompted international condemnation as an assault on press freedom. Clooney authored an op-ed for ''[[The Huffington Post]]'' in which she criticised the unfairness of the trial proceedings.<ref>{{cite news |last=Alamuddin |first=Amal |title=Egypt Unfair Trial |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Amal-Alamuddin/egypt-unfair-trial_b_5688388.html |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
One of Clooney's most publicised cases was her representation of [[Mohamed Fahmy]], an Egyptian-Canadian journalist who was bureau chief for [[Al Jazeera English]] in [[Cairo]]. Fahmy was arrested along with two colleagues in December 2013 and charged with aiding the [[Muslim Brotherhood]], a charge that drew international condemnation. Clooney served as Fahmy's international legal adviser and was vocal in her criticism of the Egyptian judicial process.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alamuddin |first=Amal |title=Egypt's Unfair Trial |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Amal-Alamuddin/egypt-unfair-trial_b_5688388.html |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The case drew attention to the state of press freedom in Egypt under the government of President [[Abdel Fattah el-Sisi]].


==== Nadia Murad ====
==== Nadia Murad ====


Among her most prominent representations, Clooney served as legal counsel for [[Nadia Murad]], a [[Yazidi]] woman who survived sexual slavery at the hands of the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State]]. Murad became a leading activist for the Yazidi community and was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2018. Clooney's representation of Murad was part of a broader effort to seek accountability for crimes committed by ISIL against the Yazidi people, including [[genocide]], [[sexual violence]], and [[human trafficking]].<ref name="doughty" />
Clooney represented [[Nadia Murad]], a [[Yazidi]] woman from [[Iraq]] who was captured by the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] (ISIL) and subjected to sexual slavery. Murad became a prominent advocate for the rights of the Yazidi people and for survivors of wartime sexual violence. Clooney's legal work on Murad's behalf included efforts to bring ISIL militants before the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide. Murad was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2018 for her efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.<ref name="doughty" />


==== Maria Ressa ====
==== Maria Ressa ====


Clooney represented [[Maria Ressa]], the Filipino-American journalist and co-founder of the news website [[Rappler]], who faced prosecution in the [[Philippines]] on charges that press freedom organisations described as politically motivated. Ressa was subsequently awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2021.<ref name="doughty" />
Clooney served as international legal counsel to [[Maria Ressa]], the Filipino-American journalist and CEO of the news website [[Rappler]], who faced multiple criminal charges in the Philippines that were widely viewed as retaliatory for her reporting critical of President [[Rodrigo Duterte]]. Ressa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.<ref name="doughty" />


==== Khadija Ismayilova ====
==== Khadija Ismayilova ====


She also acted on behalf of [[Khadija Ismayilova]], an investigative journalist from [[Azerbaijan]] who was imprisoned on charges that were broadly viewed as retaliation for her reporting on corruption within the ruling family of Azerbaijan.<ref name="doughty" />
Clooney represented [[Khadija Ismayilova]], an [[Azerbaijan]]i investigative journalist who was imprisoned in 2014 on charges that international human rights organisations described as politically motivated. Ismayilova's reporting had focused on corruption within the ruling family of Azerbaijan. Clooney took her case to the [[European Court of Human Rights]].<ref name="doughty" />


=== United Nations and International Bodies ===
=== Work on Press Freedom and Drone Warfare ===


In addition to her courtroom practice, Clooney has served in advisory and representative capacities for a number of international organisations and bodies. She served as an adviser to [[Kofi Annan]] when he was the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria.<ref name="doughty_pdf" /> She was also a member of a United Nations commission investigating the rules of war in the context of drone strikes.<ref>{{cite web |title=UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights – Report on Use of Drones |url=http://unsrct-drones.com/report/176 |publisher=United Nations |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Beyond individual client representation, Clooney has engaged in broader advocacy on issues of press freedom and accountability in armed conflict. She has contributed to the work of the [[International Bar Association]]'s Human Rights Institute, including participation in high-level panels on threats to media independence globally.<ref>{{cite web |title=IBA – Amal Clooney Article |url=http://www.ibanet.org/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleUid=B30A63AE-8066-4B49-8758-C1684BE5E9B9 |publisher=International Bar Association |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Her work at the international level has included involvement with the [[International Bar Association]], where she has participated in discussions relating to the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.<ref>{{cite web |title=IBA Article – Amal Clooney |url=http://www.ibanet.org/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleUid=B30A63AE-8066-4B49-8758-C1684BE5E9B9 |publisher=International Bar Association |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
She has also been involved in work relating to the legal framework governing the use of [[Unmanned aerial vehicle|drones]] in armed conflict, including contributing to reports examining the legality of targeted killings under international humanitarian law.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report on the Use of Drones in Counter-Terrorism |url=http://unsrct-drones.com/report/176 |publisher=UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Academic Career ===
=== Academic Career ===


Clooney holds the position of Professor of Practice in International Law at the [[Blavatnik School of Government]], [[University of Oxford]]. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, an institute she co-founded with the stated aim of harnessing the capabilities of [[artificial intelligence]] to increase access to justice globally. These positions have allowed her to combine her practical litigation experience with academic engagement in the development of international legal norms.
Clooney holds the position of Professor of Practice in International Law at the [[Blavatnik School of Government]], [[University of Oxford]]. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, an institute she co-founded with the aim of using artificial intelligence to increase access to justice globally. Her academic work has complemented her legal practice, bridging the gap between scholarship and frontline human rights advocacy.


=== Clooney Foundation for Justice ===
=== Clooney Foundation for Justice ===


In 2016, Amal and George Clooney co-founded the [[Clooney Foundation for Justice]] (CFJ), an organisation focused on advancing justice in courtrooms, communities, and classrooms around the world. The Foundation's TrialWatch initiative monitors criminal trials globally and grades them for fairness, generating reports and advocacy interventions where proceedings fall below international standards. The organisation has worked to document and respond to abuses of the legal process in countries where the judiciary is not independent.
In 2016, Amal and [[George Clooney]] co-founded the [[Clooney Foundation for Justice]], which works to advance justice in courtrooms, communities, and classrooms around the world. The foundation's initiatives have included the TrialWatch programme, which monitors trials globally to identify and expose cases of injustice. TrialWatch deploys trained legal monitors to observe court proceedings and produces expert legal analysis assessing the fairness of trials in countries around the world. The foundation has also supported education initiatives, including scholarships for refugees.


=== Other Professional Activities ===
Clooney has been involved in scholarship programmes aimed at assisting students affected by conflict. In 2015, she was involved in funding scholarships through the 100 LIVES initiative to provide educational opportunities for young women from [[Lebanon]], drawing on her own family's experience of displacement during the Lebanese Civil War.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney Scholarship: 100 Lives |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-amal-clooney-scholarship-100-lives-20151217-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2015-12-17 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
Clooney has co-authored legal publications, including contributions to the ''Mizaan'' newsletter published by Doughty Street Chambers, which focused on issues of justice in the [[Middle East]] and [[North Africa]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mizaan Newsletter |url=http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/documents/uploaded-documents/mizaan-newsletter-23rd-april-final1.pdf |publisher=Doughty Street Chambers |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
In 2015, in connection with the Armenian Genocide centenary initiative "100 Lives," Clooney helped establish a scholarship programme to support students from Lebanon.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney's Scholarship and 100 Lives |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-amal-clooney-scholarship-100-lives-20151217-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Amal Alamuddin's relationship with American actor [[George Clooney]] became public in 2014 and attracted significant media coverage.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |title=George Clooney Engaged to Amal Alamuddin |url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/28/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/george-clooney-engaged-amal-alamuddin/ |work=CNN |date=2014-04-28 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="slate">{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Amal Alamuddin, London Lawyer, to Wed Actor |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/04/28/amal_alamuddin_london_lawyer_to_wed_actor.html |work=Slate |date=2014-04-28 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Their engagement was announced in April 2014, and the couple married on 27 September 2014 in a private ceremony in [[Venice]], [[Italy]].<ref name="people_wedding">{{cite news |title=George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin Are Married |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20858520,00.html |work=People |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=George Clooney Wedding Details |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-clooney-wedding-details-leaked-732822 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=George si, a Veltroni |url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/cronaca/2014/15-settembre-2014/george-si-a-veltroni-230136085285.shtml |publisher=Corriere del Veneto |date=2014-09-15 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The wedding was held at the [[Aman Canal Grande Venice]], and was attended by numerous high-profile guests.<ref>{{cite news |title=Clooney and Bride Appear in Public After Wedding |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1343410/clooney-and-bride-appear-in-public-after-wedding |work=Sky News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=George Clooney Weds Amal Alamuddin – Photo Gallery |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/george-clooney-weds-amal-alamuddin/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Amal Alamuddin's relationship with American actor [[George Clooney]] became public in 2014.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |title=George Clooney Engaged to Amal Alamuddin |url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/28/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/george-clooney-engaged-amal-alamuddin/ |work=CNN |date=2014-04-28 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="slate">{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2014-04-28 |title=Amal Alamuddin: London Lawyer to Wed Actor |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/04/28/amal_alamuddin_london_lawyer_to_wed_actor.html |work=Slate |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The couple were married on 27 September 2014 in [[Venice]], [[Italy]], in a ceremony attended by family, friends, and a number of prominent public figures.<ref>{{cite news |title=George Clooney Weds Amal Alamuddin |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/george-clooney-weds-amal-alamuddin/ |work=CBS News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=George Clooney Wedding Details |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-clooney-wedding-details-leaked-732822 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=George Clooney and Bride Appear in Public After Wedding |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1343410/clooney-and-bride-appear-in-public-after-wedding |publisher=Sky News |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The wedding was a high-profile event, covered extensively in international media.<ref>{{cite news |title=George Clooney Wedding: Amal Alamuddin |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20858520,00.html |work=People |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=George si a Veltroni |url=http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/cronaca/2014/15-settembre-2014/george-si-a-veltroni-230136085285.shtml |publisher=Corriere del Veneto |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The couple have two children, twins born in 2017.<ref name="hello">{{cite news |title=George and Amal Clooney's Internal Parenting Struggle With Twins' Nanny: 'I Felt Like My Mother' |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/881880/george-amal-clooney-internal-parenting-struggle-twins-nanny/ |work=HELLO! Magazine |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In a 2026 interview, Clooney discussed the couple's decision not to share photographs of their children publicly, describing their approach to protecting their children's privacy.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney Reveals Why She and George Clooney Don't Share Photos of Kids |url=https://www.aol.com/amal-clooney-reveals-why-she-204203804.html |work=AOL |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In the same period, the couple discussed their hands-on approach to parenting, noting that they employ only one nanny.<ref name="hello" />
The couple have two children, twins born in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney reveals why she and George Clooney don't share photos of kids |url=https://www.aol.com/amal-clooney-reveals-why-she-204203804.html |work=AOL |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Amal and George Clooney have been noted for their efforts to maintain their children's privacy, choosing not to share photographs of them publicly. In a 2026 interview, Amal Clooney discussed the couple's deliberate decision to shield their children from public attention, explaining the rationale behind their approach to parenting in the public eye.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney reveals why she and George Clooney don't share photos of kids |url=https://www.aol.com/amal-clooney-reveals-why-she-204203804.html |work=AOL |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The Clooneys divide their time between residences in England, the United States, and elsewhere. George and Amal Clooney have appeared together at numerous public events, including the opening night of the Omega House during the [[2026 Winter Olympics|Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney Brings Her Favorite Fishtail Silhouette to Milan |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/amal-clooney-fishtail-dress-milan-cortina-olympics |work=Vogue |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
The family divides time between residences in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy. George and Amal Clooney have spoken publicly about their hands-on approach to parenting, noting that they employ a single nanny for their twins.<ref>{{cite news |title=George and Amal Clooney's internal parenting struggle with twins' nanny: 'I felt like my mother' |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/881880/george-amal-clooney-internal-parenting-struggle-twins-nanny/ |work=HELLO! Magazine |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Amal Clooney's legal career has brought her recognition from a range of professional and media institutions. Her inclusion on the [[Attorney General for England and Wales|Attorney General's]] Panel of Counsel for public international law was a formal acknowledgment of her standing in British legal practice.<ref>{{cite web |title=Attorney General's Panel Counsel – Public International Law Panel |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285743/Public_International_Law_Panel_of_Counsel_-_Summary.pdf |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Amal Clooney's work in international human rights law has brought her significant public recognition. Her representation of clients in politically sensitive cases across multiple jurisdictions has placed her among the most visible practitioners in the field of international human rights litigation.


Her representation of two Nobel Peace Prize laureates — Nadia Murad (2018) and Maria Ressa (2021) — is a distinction achieved by few practicing lawyers. In both cases, Clooney's legal advocacy was part of broader international campaigns to defend human rights and press freedom.
Her client [[Nadia Murad]] received the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in 2018, and her client [[Maria Ressa]] received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, bringing additional international attention to the legal issues at the centre of Clooney's advocacy. While these prizes were awarded to her clients rather than to Clooney herself, her role in providing legal counsel in both cases was noted in coverage of the awards.


Clooney has been the subject of extensive media coverage, a phenomenon attributable both to the profile of her legal cases and to her marriage to George Clooney. Her appearances at events including the [[Met Gala]], film premieres, and international diplomatic forums have been widely covered by fashion and entertainment publications. Publications such as ''[[Vogue]]'', ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'', and the ''[[British Vogue]]'' have featured her prominently.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney Brings Her Favourite Fishtail Silhouette To Milan |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/amal-clooney-2026-winter-olympics |work=British Vogue |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In addition to her legal recognition, Clooney has received attention for her public appearances and personal style. She has been featured on the covers of numerous international publications and has appeared regularly at high-profile events alongside her husband. In February 2026, the couple attended the Omega House opening night during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney Brings Her Favorite Fishtail Silhouette to Milan |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/amal-clooney-fishtail-dress-milan-cortina-olympics |work=Vogue |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Amal Clooney Keeps Her Sweetheart Streak Going in Ruched Black Gown for Omega's Milano Cortina Opening Night |url=https://wwd.com/pop-culture/celebrity-news/amal-clooney-sweetheart-dress-omega-house-olympics-milan-1238554184/ |work=WWD |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Her academic appointment at the University of Oxford as Professor of Practice in International Law represents recognition within the legal academy, placing her among practitioners whose work is considered of sufficient distinction to merit a university position.
Her appointment to the University of Oxford as Professor of Practice in International Law represents a significant academic recognition, situating her legal work within a scholarly framework at one of the world's leading universities.


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Amal Clooney's career has unfolded at the intersection of international human rights law, public advocacy, and global media attention. Her caseload — spanning the defence of imprisoned journalists, deposed heads of state, and survivors of genocide — has placed her among the most visible international human rights lawyers of her generation.
Amal Clooney's career has intersected several of the most pressing issues in contemporary international law: press freedom, accountability for mass atrocities, the rights of political prisoners, and the legal frameworks governing armed conflict. Her client roster reads as a catalogue of some of the early 21st century's most significant human rights cases, spanning multiple continents and legal systems.


Her work on behalf of journalists, including Mohamed Fahmy, Maria Ressa, and Khadija Ismayilova, has contributed to international legal efforts to defend [[freedom of the press]] in countries where journalists face prosecution for their reporting. The cases have formed part of a broader pattern of advocacy by the international legal community against the criminalisation of journalism.
Her work on behalf of journalists — including [[Mohamed Fahmy]], [[Maria Ressa]], and [[Khadija Ismayilova]] — has contributed to broader international discourse on the protection of press freedom and the legal mechanisms available to journalists facing prosecution in hostile jurisdictions. These cases have highlighted the vulnerability of independent journalism in authoritarian and semi-authoritarian states and the role that international legal advocacy can play in challenging such prosecutions.


Her representation of Nadia Murad helped to amplify the case for international accountability for crimes committed by the Islamic State against the Yazidi people, contributing to a body of legal and advocacy work that resulted in formal investigations by international bodies. The establishment of the Clooney Foundation for Justice's TrialWatch programme represents an institutional contribution to the monitoring of fair trial standards globally, providing a mechanism for ongoing scrutiny of judicial proceedings in countries where the independence of the judiciary is in question.
Through the [[Clooney Foundation for Justice]] and its TrialWatch programme, Clooney has contributed to the development of institutional mechanisms for monitoring trial fairness globally. The programme represents an attempt to create systematic, data-driven assessments of judicial proceedings in countries where the independence of the judiciary is in question.


As an academic, Clooney's co-founding of the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice reflects engagement with emerging questions about the role of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, in the administration of justice — an area of growing importance in international law and governance.
Her co-founding of the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice reflects an engagement with emerging questions about how technological tools, including artificial intelligence, might be deployed to address longstanding barriers to justice. This work positions Clooney at the intersection of technology, law, and human rights — a nexus that is likely to grow in significance in the coming decades.


The combination of her legal practice, academic positions, foundation work, and public profile has made Clooney a figure whose influence extends beyond the courtroom into broader public discourse about human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
The combination of high-profile litigation, academic scholarship, institutional innovation through the foundation, and public visibility has made Clooney one of the most recognisable figures in the field of international human rights law. Her career has brought international legal issues to broader public attention in ways that few practitioners in the field have achieved.


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />


[[Category:Lawyers]]
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Latest revision as of 02:08, 24 February 2026



Amal Clooney
Clooney in 2022
Amal Clooney
BornAmal Alamuddin
3 2, 1978
BirthplaceBeirut, Lebanon
NationalityFrench, British, Lebanese
OccupationBarrister, international human rights lawyer
Known forInternational human rights law, high-profile legal advocacy
EducationNew York University (LLM)
Spouse(s)Template:Marriage
Children2

Amal Clooney (Template:Née Alamuddin; born 3 February 1978) is a French-British-Lebanese international human rights lawyer and barrister who has built a distinguished career representing clients in some of the most consequential cases in international law. Born in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War, she was raised in England and educated at the University of Oxford and New York University School of Law, going on to practise at Doughty Street Chambers in London and to advise international bodies including the United Nations. Among her most prominent clients have been former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad, Filipino-American journalist Maria Ressa, Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova, and Egyptian-Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy.[1] Since 2014, she has also been known publicly through her marriage to American actor George Clooney, with whom she co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice in 2016. She holds an appointment as Professor of Practice in International Law at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and serves as a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, an institute she co-founded to explore the use of artificial intelligence in expanding access to justice.

Early Life

Amal Alamuddin was born on 3 February 1978 in Beirut, Lebanon.[2] She was born into a Druze family of Lebanese origin. Her family left Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War when she was two years old, relocating to the United Kingdom, where she was raised.[3]

Growing up in England, Alamuddin attended Dr Challoner's High School, a selective grammar school for girls in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.[2] Her upbringing in England, after a childhood marked by the upheaval of civil conflict in Lebanon, shaped what would become a lifelong engagement with issues of international justice and human rights. She holds French, British, and Lebanese nationality, reflecting the multinational character of her family background and upbringing.[3]

Her family maintained connections to Lebanon even after emigrating, and the experience of displacement during wartime has been noted as an influence on her later career in international humanitarian and human rights law. The Alamuddin family's trajectory — from Beirut during a period of intense sectarian conflict to relative stability in the English Home Counties — provided a formative context for the legal career that would follow.

Education

Alamuddin studied at St Hugh's College, University of Oxford, where she read Jurisprudence and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.[4] Following her undergraduate studies at Oxford, she pursued postgraduate legal education at New York University School of Law, where she obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) degree.[1]

Her legal education at two of the world's leading academic institutions provided a foundation in both the common law traditions of England and the American legal system, equipping her with comparative legal expertise that would prove relevant in her subsequent international practice. While at NYU, she received the Jack J. Katz Memorial Award for excellence in entertainment law.[3]

Career

Early Legal Career

Amal Clooney began her legal career in the United States, where she worked at the New York office of Sullivan & Cromwell, a prominent international law firm.[1] During this period, she was involved in a range of corporate and international law matters. She also served as a law clerk at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, working under Judge Thomas Buergenthal.[3]

Her early career also included work at the United Nations, where she served as an adviser to Kofi Annan, then the UN Secretary-General, on issues related to Syria and the use of force in international law.[5] She was also appointed to the United Nations commission of inquiry examining the rules of war violations during the conflict in Gaza.[1]

Prior to joining Doughty Street Chambers, she worked at the Office of the Prosecutor at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.[6]

Doughty Street Chambers

Clooney became a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London, one of the United Kingdom's leading sets of chambers specialising in human rights, public law, and international law.[1] Her practice at Doughty Street has focused on international law, criminal law, human rights, and extradition. She has appeared before the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the European Court of Human Rights, among other tribunals.[1]

She has been a member of the United Kingdom Attorney General's Panel of Counsel, appointed to advise the UK government on matters of public international law.[7][8]

High-Profile Cases and Clients

Clooney's legal career has been defined in substantial part by her representation of individuals and causes at the intersection of human rights, press freedom, and international justice.

Mohamed Nasheed

Clooney represented Mohamed Nasheed, the former president of the Maldives, who was convicted in 2015 under anti-terrorism laws in what was characterised by international observers as a politically motivated prosecution. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, had been charged after ordering the arrest of a judge during his tenure. Clooney's legal team worked to secure his release and brought attention to the erosion of democratic governance in the Maldives.[1]

Julian Assange

She served as part of the legal team representing Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, in proceedings related to his extradition from the United Kingdom. The case raised significant questions about press freedom, government secrecy, and the boundaries of journalistic activity in the digital age.[1]

Yulia Tymoshenko

Clooney was involved in the legal representation of Yulia Tymoshenko, the former prime minister of Ukraine, who was imprisoned in 2011 on charges that were widely criticised by international bodies as politically motivated. Tymoshenko's case became a significant issue in Ukraine's relations with the European Union and broader discussions of rule of law in the former Soviet states.[1]

Mohamed Fahmy

One of Clooney's most publicised cases was her representation of Mohamed Fahmy, an Egyptian-Canadian journalist who was bureau chief for Al Jazeera English in Cairo. Fahmy was arrested along with two colleagues in December 2013 and charged with aiding the Muslim Brotherhood, a charge that drew international condemnation. Clooney served as Fahmy's international legal adviser and was vocal in her criticism of the Egyptian judicial process.[9] The case drew attention to the state of press freedom in Egypt under the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Nadia Murad

Clooney represented Nadia Murad, a Yazidi woman from Iraq who was captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and subjected to sexual slavery. Murad became a prominent advocate for the rights of the Yazidi people and for survivors of wartime sexual violence. Clooney's legal work on Murad's behalf included efforts to bring ISIL militants before the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide. Murad was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for her efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.[1]

Maria Ressa

Clooney served as international legal counsel to Maria Ressa, the Filipino-American journalist and CEO of the news website Rappler, who faced multiple criminal charges in the Philippines that were widely viewed as retaliatory for her reporting critical of President Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.[1]

Khadija Ismayilova

Clooney represented Khadija Ismayilova, an Azerbaijani investigative journalist who was imprisoned in 2014 on charges that international human rights organisations described as politically motivated. Ismayilova's reporting had focused on corruption within the ruling family of Azerbaijan. Clooney took her case to the European Court of Human Rights.[1]

Work on Press Freedom and Drone Warfare

Beyond individual client representation, Clooney has engaged in broader advocacy on issues of press freedom and accountability in armed conflict. She has contributed to the work of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, including participation in high-level panels on threats to media independence globally.[10]

She has also been involved in work relating to the legal framework governing the use of drones in armed conflict, including contributing to reports examining the legality of targeted killings under international humanitarian law.[11]

Academic Career

Clooney holds the position of Professor of Practice in International Law at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, an institute she co-founded with the aim of using artificial intelligence to increase access to justice globally. Her academic work has complemented her legal practice, bridging the gap between scholarship and frontline human rights advocacy.

Clooney Foundation for Justice

In 2016, Amal and George Clooney co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice, which works to advance justice in courtrooms, communities, and classrooms around the world. The foundation's initiatives have included the TrialWatch programme, which monitors trials globally to identify and expose cases of injustice. TrialWatch deploys trained legal monitors to observe court proceedings and produces expert legal analysis assessing the fairness of trials in countries around the world. The foundation has also supported education initiatives, including scholarships for refugees.

Clooney has been involved in scholarship programmes aimed at assisting students affected by conflict. In 2015, she was involved in funding scholarships through the 100 LIVES initiative to provide educational opportunities for young women from Lebanon, drawing on her own family's experience of displacement during the Lebanese Civil War.[12]

Personal Life

Amal Alamuddin's relationship with American actor George Clooney became public in 2014.[13][14] The couple were married on 27 September 2014 in Venice, Italy, in a ceremony attended by family, friends, and a number of prominent public figures.[15][16][17] The wedding was a high-profile event, covered extensively in international media.[18][19]

The couple have two children, twins born in 2017.[20] Amal and George Clooney have been noted for their efforts to maintain their children's privacy, choosing not to share photographs of them publicly. In a 2026 interview, Amal Clooney discussed the couple's deliberate decision to shield their children from public attention, explaining the rationale behind their approach to parenting in the public eye.[21]

The family divides time between residences in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy. George and Amal Clooney have spoken publicly about their hands-on approach to parenting, noting that they employ a single nanny for their twins.[22]

Recognition

Amal Clooney's work in international human rights law has brought her significant public recognition. Her representation of clients in politically sensitive cases across multiple jurisdictions has placed her among the most visible practitioners in the field of international human rights litigation.

Her client Nadia Murad received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018, and her client Maria Ressa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, bringing additional international attention to the legal issues at the centre of Clooney's advocacy. While these prizes were awarded to her clients rather than to Clooney herself, her role in providing legal counsel in both cases was noted in coverage of the awards.

In addition to her legal recognition, Clooney has received attention for her public appearances and personal style. She has been featured on the covers of numerous international publications and has appeared regularly at high-profile events alongside her husband. In February 2026, the couple attended the Omega House opening night during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.[23][24]

Her appointment to the University of Oxford as Professor of Practice in International Law represents a significant academic recognition, situating her legal work within a scholarly framework at one of the world's leading universities.

Legacy

Amal Clooney's career has intersected several of the most pressing issues in contemporary international law: press freedom, accountability for mass atrocities, the rights of political prisoners, and the legal frameworks governing armed conflict. Her client roster reads as a catalogue of some of the early 21st century's most significant human rights cases, spanning multiple continents and legal systems.

Her work on behalf of journalists — including Mohamed Fahmy, Maria Ressa, and Khadija Ismayilova — has contributed to broader international discourse on the protection of press freedom and the legal mechanisms available to journalists facing prosecution in hostile jurisdictions. These cases have highlighted the vulnerability of independent journalism in authoritarian and semi-authoritarian states and the role that international legal advocacy can play in challenging such prosecutions.

Through the Clooney Foundation for Justice and its TrialWatch programme, Clooney has contributed to the development of institutional mechanisms for monitoring trial fairness globally. The programme represents an attempt to create systematic, data-driven assessments of judicial proceedings in countries where the independence of the judiciary is in question.

Her co-founding of the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice reflects an engagement with emerging questions about how technological tools, including artificial intelligence, might be deployed to address longstanding barriers to justice. This work positions Clooney at the intersection of technology, law, and human rights — a nexus that is likely to grow in significance in the coming decades.

The combination of high-profile litigation, academic scholarship, institutional innovation through the foundation, and public visibility has made Clooney one of the most recognisable figures in the field of international human rights law. Her career has brought international legal issues to broader public attention in ways that few practitioners in the field have achieved.

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 "Amal Clooney – Barrister Profile".Doughty Street Chambers.http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/profile/amal-clooney.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "George Clooney Girlfriend Revealed: Who Is Amal Alamuddin? 6 Fast Facts About Actor's New Love".International Business Times.http://www.ibtimes.com/george-clooney-girlfriend-revealed-who-amal-alamuddin-6-fast-facts-about-actors-new-love-photos.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Things to Know About George Clooney's Lady Friend, Amal Alamuddin".ABC News.http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/things-george-clooneys-lady-friend-amal-alamuddin/story?id=22960268.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ "University of Oxford Gazette, 1997–98".University of Oxford.http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/1997-8/weekly/231097/coll.htm.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ "Will Syria Go to the ICC?".Doughty Street Chambers.http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/documents/uploaded-documents/will_syria_go_to_the_ICC.pdf.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Amal Clooney – Barrister Profile (PDF)".Doughty Street Chambers.http://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/profile-pdf/amal-clooney/185.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Attorney General's Panel Counsel – Appointments, Membership Lists and Off-Panel Counsel".UK Government.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/attorney-generals-panel-counsel-appointments-membership-lists-and-off-panel-counsel.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "Public International Law Panel of Counsel – Summary".UK Government.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285743/Public_International_Law_Panel_of_Counsel_-_Summary.pdf.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ AlamuddinAmalAmal"Egypt's Unfair Trial".The Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Amal-Alamuddin/egypt-unfair-trial_b_5688388.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "IBA – Amal Clooney Article".International Bar Association.http://www.ibanet.org/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleUid=B30A63AE-8066-4B49-8758-C1684BE5E9B9.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "Report on the Use of Drones in Counter-Terrorism".UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism.http://unsrct-drones.com/report/176.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Amal Clooney Scholarship: 100 Lives".Los Angeles Times.2015-12-17.http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-amal-clooney-scholarship-100-lives-20151217-story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "George Clooney Engaged to Amal Alamuddin".CNN.2014-04-28.http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/28/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/george-clooney-engaged-amal-alamuddin/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Amal Alamuddin: London Lawyer to Wed Actor".Slate.2014-04-28.http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/04/28/amal_alamuddin_london_lawyer_to_wed_actor.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "George Clooney Weds Amal Alamuddin".CBS News.http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/george-clooney-weds-amal-alamuddin/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "George Clooney Wedding Details".The Hollywood Reporter.http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-clooney-wedding-details-leaked-732822.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "George Clooney and Bride Appear in Public After Wedding".Sky News.http://news.sky.com/story/1343410/clooney-and-bride-appear-in-public-after-wedding.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "George Clooney Wedding: Amal Alamuddin".People.http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20858520,00.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "George si a Veltroni".Corriere del Veneto.http://corrieredelveneto.corriere.it/veneto/notizie/cronaca/2014/15-settembre-2014/george-si-a-veltroni-230136085285.shtml.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Amal Clooney reveals why she and George Clooney don't share photos of kids".AOL.https://www.aol.com/amal-clooney-reveals-why-she-204203804.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "Amal Clooney reveals why she and George Clooney don't share photos of kids".AOL.https://www.aol.com/amal-clooney-reveals-why-she-204203804.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ "George and Amal Clooney's internal parenting struggle with twins' nanny: 'I felt like my mother'".HELLO! Magazine.https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/881880/george-amal-clooney-internal-parenting-struggle-twins-nanny/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Amal Clooney Brings Her Favorite Fishtail Silhouette to Milan".Vogue.https://www.vogue.com/article/amal-clooney-fishtail-dress-milan-cortina-olympics.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "Amal Clooney Keeps Her Sweetheart Streak Going in Ruched Black Gown for Omega's Milano Cortina Opening Night".WWD.https://wwd.com/pop-culture/celebrity-news/amal-clooney-sweetheart-dress-omega-house-olympics-milan-1238554184/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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